The constables were also taught about public order, handling a lynching incident, and crowd control.

Two hundred police constables participated in a 12-day behavioural training programme that started Monday at the Lucknow police lines. Four classes on behavioural training, weapon handling, crowd control and basics of forensics were held on the first day.

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ADG (Lucknow zone) Rajeev Krishna had earlier said that the decision to start this course was taken by him after the recent murder of Apple area sales manager Vivek Tiwari in Lucknow, who was shot dead by a constable, so people can develop a sense of trust in the police.

“The training module is designed to train our policemen on how to behave and work in different conditions. It is also to impart moral training. The police have to set an example of good conduct and behaviour,” state DGP Om Prakash Singh told the media while inaugurating the programme. The first class was taken by ADG Krishna on the subject of behaviour and how to talk to a person approaching the police with a problem.

“The key objective is for policemen to understand their role in society. The first lecture was focused on that. I am sure the programme will help our constables behave better…When on field they are busy with one thing or another, but here, for the next 12 days, all they have to do is learn,” said Inspector Ramesh Singh Yadav, who was on duty at the programme.

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The constables were also taught about public order, handling a lynching incident, and crowd control. “In 2010…when I was posted in Noida and the campaign under Arvind Kejriwal’s India Against Corruption (IAC) was at its peak…we got information that Kejriwal and hundreds of his supports had gathered for a protest. We had no previous intelligence and no time to prepare. However, we used all our policing experience and arrested Arvind Kejriwal that time. We not only had to control the crowd, but also the people on social media,” said Lucknow SP (West) Vikas Chandra Tripathi, who also took a class.

“When you teach someone something citing your personal experiences, they listen with concentration. I loved the response I got from the constables and hope they can take something good from my experiences in the field,” Tripathi said. In the classes taken by forensic expert A K Tiwari, the constables were introduced to an accident situation, and were given instructions on how to surround the spot, mark clues, take photos and keep the crowd away. The situation created for the constables was very similar to the Vivek Tiwari murder case.